1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for housing a variety of communications apparatus and, in particular, to a closure which can be mounted in a variety of ways at a customer's premises.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In providing communications services to a customer, devices are employed at the customer's premises to provide protection against lightning, power surges, and the like. Typically, these devices have been mounted inside the customer's premises. One problem has been gaining access to the premises to replace fused devices. In some instances other problems have arisen in attempting to mount such devices in mobile homes. Consequently, there is a need for a closure which can be used to house protection devices and the like outside a customer's premises. Such a closure should also be capable of providing protection against environmental contamination.
Housings of the type disclosed in L. R. Berke et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,873,757, issued Mar. 25, 1975, and A. F. Paddock U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,712, issued Mar. 21, 1967, provide protection from environmental contaminants, but these closures are not suited for mounting on a variety of different surfaces such as horizontal and vertical power conduits and mounting posts. Other closures, such as the one shown in A. T. Pomanek U.S. Pat. No. 3,138,654, issued June 23, 1964, are mountable on a pipe. However, this apparatus is incapable of being readily attached to a pipe or a conduit already in place and having no free end available.
Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to facilitate mounting of a customer service closure on a variety of surfaces such as walls, horizontal and vertical conduits, pedestals, mounting posts, and the like.
Another object is to configure a closure which can accept a variety of different communication devices such as protectors, filters, ringer isolators, and the like.
A further object of the present invention is to have the capability for rigidly coupling the closure to a conduit carrying a service wire.
Yet another object is to facilitate sealing of the closure once the communication devices are installed and the service wires are terminated.
Still a further object of the present invention is to configure a closure which can be advantageously secured to prevent unauthorized entry.